Discussion: Ethical practices have an advantage or disadvantage

We’ve all heard the cliché that “nice guys finish last.” Is this true in marketing? Do firms that use good ethical practices have an advantage or disadvantage? Do you think consumers will pay a few cents more for non-polluting soap or environmentally friendly food products? Even popular movies have raised this question. In the film, “Heaven Can Wait,” Warren Beatty plays Joe Pendleton, a former NFL quarterback who came back to life as a CEO after a fatal accident. Joe tells his executives that he wants his company to be the “good guy tuna company.” Joe believed his customers would pay a little more to not kill dolphins. This sounds good in the movies, but is it true in real life? How about for you and your family?

For this week’s discussion, select a company that you believe has exceptionally good, or bad, ethical practices. Begin by describing the actions or activities that you believe demonstrate why you selected them. Be very specific so that we are clear on why the firm does, or does not, demonstrate good corporate social responsibility. In your discussion, include if you believe they are at an advantage or disadvantage due to these activities, and why. You should also select at least one of Saint Leo core values and describe why the firm either does, or does not, demonstrate that value.

Use specific examples to support your opinions. Don’t forget to include your personal experiences with the company and with our core values. Please type the name of your firm in the title of your post (e.g., TOM’S SHOES) so your classmates can easily see it. Any firm can only be used ONCE – first come, first served!

Your opening post should be no less than 350 words, free from spelling and grammar errors and college level writing is expected. If you use sources be sure you cite them.

You must proofread your paper. But do not strictly rely on your computer’s spell-checker and grammar-checker; failure to do so indicates a lack of effort on your part and you can expect your grade to suffer accordingly. Papers with numerous misspelled words and grammatical mistakes will be penalized. Read over your paper – in silence and then aloud – before handing it in and make corrections as necessary. Often it is advantageous to have a friend proofread your paper for obvious errors. Handwritten corrections are preferable to uncorrected mistakes.

Use a standard 10 to 12 point (10 to 12 characters per inch) typeface. Smaller or compressed type and papers with small margins or single-spacing are hard to read. It is better to let your essay run over the recommended number of pages than to try to compress it into fewer pages.

Likewise, large type, large margins, large indentations, triple-spacing, increased leading (space between lines), increased kerning (space between letters), and any other such attempts at “padding” to increase the length of a paper are unacceptable, wasteful of trees, and will not fool your professor.

The paper must be neatly formatted, double-spaced with a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. When submitting hard copy, be sure to use white paper and print out using dark ink. If it is hard to read your essay, it will also be hard to follow your argument.